Diane E. Watson: senate and the president have is to finally close the gap, finally after a century of effort to provide a system that covers americans with the health insurance program that has the quality and the benefits that they need. and i know you've been there. you've been there sinci first met you in 1976 in california

Diane E. Watson: and the years that you've spent here. so congresswoman watson, it's a great privilege to engage in this dialogue with you. ms. watson: i'd just like to conclude by saying this. i serve on the international relations committee. we travel the globe. i serve as an ambassador. i taught school in my 20's in the far east and over in

Diane E. Watson: europe. and so i've been around this world many, many times. our status has dropped among other nations. my intent is to continue to lift the status of the most wonderful country in the world.

Diane E. Watson: and we're only as strong as our weakest link. and it amazes me to hear the criticism, to hear people rant over delivering health care rather than reason over delivering health care. when i know that they happily

Diane E. Watson: nodded their heads to spending $15 billion a month on a war that has not really benefited the united states much. and that was the war in iraq. and no one complained about adding to the deficit then. and now we come up with a health care reform that we wnt

Diane E. Watson: to strengthen america's children, america's adults, all americans. and to think that would be the cost for these tie rates to hear is beyond reason. and so i really appreciate y enriching this house with your experience and your knowledge